JPH08202739A - Data collector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the data collector in which labor for manual ID code setting can be saved and the secrecy of measured value data held on the side of terminal equipment is improved. CONSTITUTION: This device is provided with an ID code setting instruction input means S1 for inputting an ID code setting instruction addressed to its own equipment, ID code setting means S2-S4 for storing a numerical value, for which the time provided from a clock part is processed and converted, as an ID code in response to the ID code setting instruction, and transmitting means S7 for transmitting the ID code to a host computer. When performing first call origination starting communication with the host computer at the time of completing the installing construction of terminal equipment, the numerals of present time are processed and converted, the ID code is automatically initialized and transmitted to the host computer, and the ID codes held on the sides of the host computer and the terminal equipment are matched with each other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data collecting device provided with a terminal device for transmitting count value data collected from a measuring instrument to a host computer through a telephone line or the like together with a unique ID code, and more particularly to a data collecting device. The present invention relates to a data collection device capable of automatically setting a highly confidential ID code for each terminal device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, count value data of the amount of use of electricity, gas, water, etc. obtained from various measuring instruments is collected by terminal devices installed at a plurality of locations, and further,
It is transmitted to the host computer via an analog public line such as a telephone line. Since this kind of count value data is required to have confidentiality, each terminal device is given an ID code together with a unique address number, and the terminal device has an ID included in the data request message from the host computer.
The count value data is transmitted only when the code matches the ID code of the terminal device itself.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a data collecting device including an ID code setting device disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-239658, in which 20 is connected to a host computer and 23 is connected to the host computer. It is a terminal device that functions as a data collection device. Here, although one terminal device 23 is shown for convenience, the host computer 20 is connected with an arbitrary number of terminal devices (not shown).

The host computer 20 has a terminal device 23.
And a setting means 2 for writing an ID code input from the outside into the terminal device 23.
2 and 2 and collects data transmitted from the terminal device 23 and controls the setting of a unique ID code for the terminal device 23.

The designating means 21 outputs a control signal for designating a specific terminal device 23 in the ID code setting mode designated and input from a keyboard (not shown). Also,
The setting means 22 uses the input ID code as the terminal device 23.
To the memory or the like in the terminal device 23 to instruct the writing of the ID code.

The terminal device 23 has a terminal number (address number) and an ID code set therein, and a data transmission request from the host computer 20 and its own ID.
In response to the code, count value data from a measuring device (not shown) is collected, organized, and transmitted to the host computer 20.

In this way, the terminal device 23 to be data-transmitted is determined by the terminal number and the ID code in the data transmission message between the host computer 20 and the terminal device 23.
Has been confirmed.

When the ID code is first set in the terminal device 23, the designation means 21 inputs a character string of several digits, which is an arbitrary combination of numbers and codes designated in the ID code, by the operation of the operator. . Subsequently, the input ID code is read by the host computer 20, the ID code is transmitted to the terminal device 23 using the setting means 22 and stored in the memory of the terminal device 23, and the setting of the ID code is completed.

[0009]

As described above, the conventional data collecting apparatus is provided on the host computer 20 side.
Since it is necessary to determine a numerical value or a character string which is an ID code unique to each terminal device 23, perform initial registration, and further set it on the terminal device 23 side, the labor for registering the ID code becomes great, and registration is also required. There have been various problems that mistakes occur and security is impaired due to leakage of the ID code.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. The confidentiality of the data held in the terminal device is high, and the ID is automatically set without any manual labor.
The purpose is to obtain a data collection device capable of registering and setting codes.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data collecting apparatus, a clock section having a calendar function, an ID code setting command input means for inputting an ID code setting command for itself, and an ID. An ID code setting means for storing a numerical value obtained by processing and converting the time obtained from the clock unit in response to the code setting command as an ID code, and a transmitting means for transmitting the ID code to the host computer are provided.

A data collecting apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the data collecting apparatus according to the first aspect, in which the current time is processed and converted in response to a data transmission command including a data transmission command and an ID code from the host computer. The new I
ID code updating means for updating as a D code is provided.
The D code setting means stores the new ID code, and the transmitting means adds the new ID code together with the count value data to the data response message when editing the data response message for the data request message, and the data response message is sent to the host. It is to be sent to a computer.

[0013]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the first call initiation communication is performed with the host computer when the installation work of the terminal device is completed, the number of the current time is processed and converted and automatically initialized as an ID code. At the same time, it is transmitted to the host computer, and the ID codes held on the host computer side and the terminal device side are matched. This saves the labor of manually setting the ID code and improves the confidentiality of the measurement value data held on the terminal device side.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, in response to the transmission command by the data request message from the host computer, the number of the current time is converted and converted to a new ID.
The code is updated and stored, and a new ID code is added to the data response message and transmitted to the host computer, and the ID code on the host computer side is updated to always match the ID code on the terminal device side. This further improves the confidentiality of the measurement value data held on the terminal device side.

[0015]

【Example】

Example 1. Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a device configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a host computer for collecting count value data from each terminal device (described later),
Reference numeral 2 is a modem for modulating and demodulating input / output data to / from the host computer 1, and reference numeral 3 is an analog public line such as a telephone line for data transmission connected to the host computer 1 via the modem 2.

Reference numeral 4 designates a terminal device connected to the host computer 1 via the modem 2 and the analog public line 3.
Is a measuring instrument that counts the amount of electricity, water or gas used and inputs the count value data to the terminal device 4, and 6 is the terminal device 4
And a measuring instrument 5 are communication lines interconnecting each other. The host computer 1 and the terminal device 4 correspond to the host computer 20 and the terminal device 23 in FIG. 8, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal functional configuration of the terminal device 4 in FIG.
It is composed of elements indicated by 5. A modem unit 10 is connected to the analog public line 3 and performs modulation, demodulation, and dialing of a telegram transmitted to and from the host computer 1. Reference numeral 11 denotes a control unit including a CPU, which controls communication of various electronic messages via the modem unit 10, storage control of various data, monitoring of an input device (described later), and the like.

Reference numeral 12 is a clock section having a calendar function, and 13
Is an input device for performing a switch operation such as start of test transmission, and 14 is a telephone number of the call destination (host computer 1 side), its own address number and ID code, and count value data collected from the measuring instrument 5 and the like. Memory section,
Reference numeral 15 is a measuring instrument I / F section for communicating count value data with the measuring instrument 5 via the communication line 6. The modem unit 10 and the clock unit 12 to the measuring instrument I / F unit 15 are all connected to the control unit 11.

The clock unit 12 and the memory unit 14 are
For example, a backup battery compensates for a power failure so that the stored data is not lost even if the power supply to the terminal device 4 is cut off. Although not shown, the host computer 1
A clock unit and a memory unit similar to those in the terminal device 4 are also provided on the side.

FIG. 3 shows a host computer 1 and a terminal device 4.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of the general data request message and data response message transmitted / received between FIG.
Shows a data request message sent from the host computer 1 to the terminal device 4, and FIG. 3B shows a data response message sent from the terminal device 4 to the host computer 1.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the data request message transmitted from the host computer 1 is a pair of control codes arranged at both front and rear ends, a mode following the control code at the leading end, and an access target. It is composed of the address number and ID code of the terminal device 4, the current time, and the data collection time arranged immediately before the control code at the rear end.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the data response message transmitted from the terminal device 4 includes a pair of control codes arranged at both front and rear ends, a mode following the control code at the tip, and its own. It is composed of an address number and an ID code, a data collection time, and count value data arranged immediately before the control code at the rear end.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a general data collecting operation of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described. Normally, the control unit 11 in the terminal device 4
Sends a command to the measuring instrument 5 at a predetermined interval via the communication line 6, and the count value data obtained from the measuring instrument 5 is stored in the memory unit 14.
Record it in.

After that, when a data request message (see FIG. 3A) is input from the host computer 1, in response to this, the control section 11 sends the count value data in the memory section 14 to the data response message (see FIG. Edited in FIG. 3B) and transmitted to the host computer 1 through the analog public line 3.

In general, the host computer 1 collects the count value data of each measuring instrument 5 from the terminal device 4 at a predetermined time once to several times a day, and collects the count value data of each measuring instrument 5. In addition to analyzing and performing processing such as fee calculation.

At this time, since the host computer 1 selects a specific terminal device 4 from a large number of terminal devices,
Address numbers are individually set for the terminal devices 4.
In order to maintain security of data transmission, a data request message from the host computer 1 (see FIG. 3A) and a data response message from the terminal device 4 (FIG. 3B).
(See) and the ID code included in both of the above (see (1) and (2)) are used to respond to the message. The ID code is a numerical value (including signs etc.) as described in the above-mentioned conventional example.
A character string of several digits that is an arbitrary combination of is used.

Such an ID code is generally a unique code when a subscriber who newly uses power, water, gas, etc. is newly registered and the data collection device 4 is additionally installed and connected to the host computer 1. It is additionally set as a number.
As described above, the ID code requires a setting and management method so as not to be leaked to others for the purpose of maintaining security. Therefore, it is desirable that the ID code is processed only by a random number or code within the device.

The ID according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4 and the explanatory view of FIG.
The code setting processing operation will be described. First, after the connection work of the terminal device 4 to the host computer 1 is completed (step S0), an ID code setting command (command) is controlled from the input device 13 in the terminal device 4 which functions as an ID code setting command input means. Input to the section 11 (step S1).

In response to this, the control unit 11 causes the clock unit 1
The time data is read from step 2 (step S2), the time data is subjected to a conversion procedure described below to obtain an ID code (step S3), and the ID code is stored in the memory unit 14 functioning as an ID code setting means (step). S
4).

Subsequently, when the telephone number of the host computer 1 is input from the input device 13, the control unit 11 controls the modem unit 10 to perform dialing and call the terminal device 4 (step S5). . At this time, the telephone number on the host computer 1 side may be stored in the memory unit 14 in advance when the terminal device 4 is shipped.

Next, it is determined whether or not the connection between the host computer 1 and the terminal device 4 is OK depending on whether or not the host computer 1 responds to the dialing (step S).
6) If the connection is not OK (that is, NO), step S5 is repeated.

When the connection is determined to be OK (that is, YES) in step S5 and the analog public line 3 is connected to the host computer 1 side, the terminal device 4 is connected.
The control unit 11 therein performs data transmission with the host computer 1 via the analog public line 3. That is, the control unit 11 controls the ID stored in the memory unit 14.
The code is transmitted to the host computer 1 for notification (step S7).

The ID code notification message for data transmission at this time is, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a pair of control codes arranged at the front and rear ends, a mode following the leading control code, and its own address number. And an ID code. As a result, the host computer 1
The ID code transmitted by the code notification message is stored in the memory in the host computer 1 (step S
8), the ID code setting process ends.

Hereinafter, the host computer 1 is the measuring device 5
A data request message (see FIG. 3A) when collecting the measurement value data collected from the memory unit 14 and stored in the memory unit 14
The address number and ID of the terminal device 4
The code is added and transmitted to the terminal device 4.

The control unit 11 in the terminal device 4 stores the address number and ID code in the data request message in the memory unit 14.
The data response message (see FIG. 3 (b)) is used to compare the data values stored in
As a response reply to the host computer 1.

Next, a specific conversion procedure from the time data to the ID code executed in step S3 will be described. First, as the simplest procedure, an example in which the numeric string of the ID code setting command time is directly used as the ID code can be considered. In this case, for example, when the ID code setting command time is 15:46:12, the ID code is "154612".

However, since the numbers used for the time are limited, the I
Not enough as a D code. Therefore, the basic number is ID
The ID of the code setting command is calculated by using the number of the time and by adding a unique conversion in the control unit 11 in the data collection device 4.
An example of using a code can be considered.

In this case, the ID code "154612" obtained from the numeral of the ID code setting command time is added to the adjacent numeral string "69073" (1 + 5 →
6, 5 + 4 → 9, 4 + 6 → 0, ...) to obtain an ID code.

Further, the above-mentioned adjacent digit addition procedure may be repeated an arbitrary number of times, and the number of times of repetition is changed for each terminal device 4 in the program of the control unit 11 to obtain an ID.
The regularity of code setting may be hidden from others. Furthermore, based on not only the number of times within one day but also the number of the date of the calendar held by the clock unit 12,
The ID code may be set by the above procedure or the like.

Example 2. In the first embodiment described above, only the case where the ID code peculiar to each terminal device 4 is initialized is explained. However, if the same terminal device 4 uses the same ID code forever, it is possible to There is a risk that it will be leaked to others when reading the data memory. Therefore, every time the command of the data request message is received from the host computer 1, the I of the target terminal device 4 is received.
The D code may be changed.

A second embodiment of the present invention having an ID code update setting function will be described below. In this case, I
The initial setting of the D code is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the control unit 11 in the terminal device 4 changes the ID code every time it receives the command of the data request message from the host computer 1. Has been added.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the ID code update processing operation according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an example of the configuration of the data response message transmitted from the terminal device 4 to the host computer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the data response message which is a response to the command from the host computer 1 includes a pair of control codes arranged at both front and rear ends, a mode following the control code at the leading end, and an access. It is composed of the address number and the old (previous) ID code of the target terminal device 4, the data collection time, the measured value data, and the new ID code arranged immediately before the control code at the rear end. .

In FIG. 6, first, a data request message is sent from the host computer 1 to the terminal device 4 (see FIG. 3A).
(Reference) is transmitted (step S10). In response to this, the control unit 11 in the terminal device 4 determines whether or not the address number and ID code in the data request message match the address number and ID code in the memory unit 14 (step S11). ), Confirm whether the command of the data request message is for itself.

If it is determined that they do not match (that is, NO), the process returns to the data request message transmission step S10, and if it is determined that they match (that is, YES), the data received in the terminal device 4 is received. The request message is decoded (step S12). Then, a new ID code is set by the same ID code setting procedure as in steps S2 to S4 in FIG. 4 based on the current time at the time of decoding the data request message (step S13).

Next, the control unit 11 edits the measured value data corresponding to the data request message in the data response message (see FIG. 7) and further adds the new ID code set in step S13 to the host. A data response message corresponding to a command from the computer 1 is transmitted to the host computer 1 via the analog public line 3 (step S14).

At this time, it is determined whether or not the connection from the terminal device 4 to the host computer 1 via the analog public line 3 is OK, based on the presence or absence of the reception response of the host computer 1 (step S15). If the connection is OK (that is, YES), in response to the reception response from the host computer 1, the self ID code of the terminal device 4 is updated to a new ID code (step S16), and the memory unit 14 stores it. The update processing on the terminal device 4 side is completed by storing the information.

On the host computer 1 side, the ID code for the terminal device 4 is updated to the new ID code transmitted by the data response message (see FIG. 7) and stored in the memory (step S17). By executing the processing of the received measurement value data (step S18),
The processing on the host computer 1 side ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S15 that the connection from the terminal device 4 to the host computer 1 is malfunctioning (that is, NO), the control unit 11 in the terminal device 4 does not update the ID code. (Step S1
9), a transmission retry request is issued to the host computer 1 with the old (previous) ID code as it is (step S2).
0).

At this time, the number of continuous transmission retry requests is counted to determine whether or not the Nth (several) times have been reached (step S21), and if the Nth has not been reached (that is, NO). If it is determined, then it is determined whether the connection with the host computer 1 is OK (step S2).
2).

If the connection with the host computer 1 is O
If it is determined that it is not K (that is, NO), the process returns to the transmission retry request step S20 and the repeat count step S21, and if it is determined that the connection is OK (that is, YES), the process returns to the data request message transmission step S10.

On the other hand, in step S21, connection cannot be established even if the transmission retry is repeated N times (that is, N
If it is determined to be O), error processing (step S2
3) is executed, and the host computer 1 from the terminal device 4 is executed.
The transmission of the measured value data and the ID code is suspended.

As described above, if the connection between the host computer 1 and the terminal device 4 is sound, the ID code is updated every time the data response message (see FIG. 7) is transmitted from the terminal device 4 to the host computer 1. Therefore, the confidentiality of the ID code can be further increased, and data leakage can be reliably prevented.

[0054]

As described above, according to claim 1 of the present invention, the clock section having the calendar function, the ID code setting command input means for inputting the ID code setting command for itself, and the ID code setting command. In response to the above, an ID code setting means for storing a numerical value obtained by processing and converting the time obtained from the clock section as an ID code and a transmission means for transmitting the ID code to the host computer are provided, and when the installation work of the terminal device is completed, When performing the first call initiation communication with the host computer, the number of the current time is processed and converted, the ID code is automatically initialized, and the ID code is transmitted to the host computer. The ID held by the host computer side and the terminal device side. Since the codes are made to match, the labor of setting the ID code manually is saved, and the measured values held by the terminal device side The effect of the data collection device is obtained which can improve the confidentiality over data.

Further, according to claim 2 of the present invention, in response to the data request message including the data transmission command and the ID code from the host computer according to claim 1,
ID code updating means for updating the numerical value obtained by processing and converting the current time as a new ID code is provided, the ID code setting means stores the new ID code, and the transmitting means at the time of editing the data response message for the data request message. By adding a new ID code together with the count value data to the data response message and transmitting the data response message to the host computer, the ID on the host computer side is transmitted every time the data is transmitted.
Since the code is updated so that it always matches the ID code on the terminal device side, the data collecting device further improves the confidentiality of the measurement value data held on the terminal device side against external access. There is an effect that can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a device configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing internal functions of the terminal device in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing configurations of a data request message transmitted from a host computer and a data response message transmitted from a terminal device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an ID code initial setting processing operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a data notification message transmitted from a terminal device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an ID code update setting processing operation according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a data response message transmitted from the terminal device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a data collection device including a conventional ID code setting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 host computer, 3 analog public line, 4
Terminal device, 5 measuring device 11 control unit, 12 clock unit, 13 input device (ID code setting command input means), 14 memory unit, S0 terminal device connection construction completion step, S1 ID code setting command input step, S2 time data Reading step,
S3 time data conversion step, S4 ID code storage step, S7 ID code transmission step, S13 new ID code setting step, S14 data response telegram transmission step.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H04M 11/00 301

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Data provided with a terminal device for collecting count value data of usage of electricity, gas, water, etc. from a measuring instrument and transmitting the count value data to a host computer via an analog public line. In the collecting device,
The terminal device has a clock unit having a calendar function, an ID code setting command input means for inputting an ID code setting command for itself, and a time obtained from the clock unit in response to the ID code setting command. A data collecting device comprising: an ID code setting means for storing the processed and converted numerical value as the ID code; and a transmitting means for transmitting the ID code to the host computer. 2. The ID code update, wherein the terminal device updates a numerical value obtained by processing and converting the current time as a new ID code in response to a data transmission command from the host computer and a data request message including the ID code. The ID code setting means stores the new ID code, and the transmitting means stores the new ID code together with the count value data when the data response message for the data request message is edited. The data collection device according to claim 1, wherein the data collection message is added to a response message and the data response message is transmitted to the host computer.